Pharmacy

With the existence of a plethora of pharma companies, good marketing of a brand is extremely essential in today's world. Different practitioners view medical representatives (MRs) differently. if MRs can work in co-ordination with doctors, a smart way to boost product sale is on the scene.

Irrespective of the nature of their business, the sales and marketing team of any industry has a three- point agenda: generate business, outdo last year's sales and beat the annual targets. The entire team right from the field sales officer to the manager and the chief of marketing and sales meet periodically and review their quarterly performance. In the pharma industry, the financial year beginning in April each year is also the time when the MR and the area manager go full throttle to boost their sales. For the drug industry, the first quarter is extremely crucial for survival.

The first quarter of Indian financial year coincides with the beginning of monsoon. It is the season when infectious diseases flourish and general practitioners' clinics across the country are teeming with patients. The number of referrals from these clinics to specialty consultants is also at its peak during the rainy season. With this knowledge the top pharma management pressurizes its peripheral team to achieve at least 50 per cent of their annual target in these three months.

Consequently,   the   MR   cajoles his friendly physicians to step up prescriptions   of   specific   brands. Getting an already prescribing doctor to further increase his prescription rate is sometimes possible. However, this is easier said than done.

Yet there would be many greenhorn doctors who may not be capable of giving any concrete support to their brands. Many newcomer-physicians face an uphill task and unless they themselves have a 'solid' base of patients, they cannot help the MR to achieve his targets. What are the options available to the MR then?

Medical camps

The most common approach adopted by pharma companies is to conduct medical camps in doctors' clinics. The company distributes handbills and provides sufficient samples to the physician. On the appointed day, the MR and his manager help to organize the flow of patients and ascertain that the doctor dutifully recommends their brands.

This technique achieves two objectives; the new physician gets exposure in the community and the brands in question are well registered in the doctor's mind. As the patient returns for follow-up, the physician would observe the efficacy of the dispensed drugs and consequently, would   permanently   consign   it to memory.

If the camp is successful in drawing huge crowds, the physician and the company plan further camps at quarterly or half-yearly intervals. Medical camps are now becoming less popular in urban areas as the general public has started viewing them with suspicion.

The other drawback of this technique is that it is effective only in the lower socio- economic areas of society and therefore cannot be replicated in posh localities.

Dual approach

It takes no rocket scientist to understand that the number of prescriptions generated will be directly proportional to the number of busy doctors who support some brands. Furthermore, the number of patients who consult a physician will actually determine the quantum of medicines prescribed by him. The MR can either get a full quota of prescriptions from a smart mix of meeting busy doctors as well as building up a repertoire of supporting doctors for the future. This task may seem daunting to a novice field sales officer or a laidback manager.

 A careful analysis of any physician's clinical graph will indicate how to classify' the method of marketing and rapport- building with different categories of doctors. The busy doctor should be cautiously tackled to build up current targets, whereas the beginner should be periodically assessed and 'groomed' to meet tomorrow's sales targets  Depending on his attitude and personality, a busy physician may view the MR and his team either as an intrusion into his work time or as a welcome break for a light moment. Newly qualified doctors, consultants and general physicians, view the MR and his manager differently. Some of them look up to him as a provider of medical updates or 'goodies.' Others find him to be a source of general information and a means of passing free time.

It is important for the marketing team to remember that both, the busy physicians as well as the 'fly-swatting' neophytes are of great significance to the drug maker. One could be termed as 'present' currency whereas the latter

could be a future goldmine! Anxious start when a new general practitioner or specialist begins his practice, there are several apprehensions in his mind. This is particularly so if the physician in question is a first-time doctor from his family. Questions like: Who are the other busy compatriots practicing in nearby areas? How should he position himself in the community? What should be the level of charges to be collected from his patients? Should he do some risky procedures in the clinic itself? Should he focus on some sub-specialty of his practice like the competitors? Physicians usually do not get answers to these questions easily. Although senior colleagues and friends provide friendly advice based on their experience, the young physician will realize that the correct answers are available only after he actually takes his seat.

 Since senior MRs from the area know the number of doctors, their type of practice, their patient profile, patient's socio-economic level etc, he can fill in such information easily. A smart MR could provide a list of physicians with their qualifications. Consultants can also be provided the list of local general practitioners in the area. This makes it easy for the specialist to introduce himself to them and expect referral of patients.

MRs are privy to information about the procedures carried out in the clinic and charges levied by local physicians. For a newcomer this data helps him to fix the benchmark for clinic timing, charges, value-added services, etc. Freshly practicing consultants in a new polyclinic may be unaware of the nearest chemist shops, pathology laboratory or X-ray centre. MRs could update such tidbits to the doctor, which helps him to guide his patients better.

Pattern of practice

Physicians, in the early years of practice, are curious to learn about the pattern of practice of their compatriots. General practitioners with some experience of paediatrics tend to focus on children's health in their clinic, whereas some others would concentrate on women's disorders or skin diseases. A beginner would want to know what such 'specialty' other physicians in the vicinity pick on. This knowledge would allow him to identify his niche and build up the practice. Senior MRs could provide data on such matters and guide the doctor. The goodwill earned from such information would be immense.

In the case of dermatology, for example, there is a shift in the nature of their practice. Two decades ago a fresh postgraduate doctor would set up a simple clinic with a torch and magnifying glass as equipment! Today, the repertoire of a dermatologist is incomplete without some exposure to cosmetology. In most metropolitan cities, the average skin specialist is no longer visible; as they are overshadowed by glitzy, extravagant cosmetic clinics and laser surgery spas! Yet, considering the prevalence of skin disorders everywhere, there is definite scope for a committed expert to conduct dermatologic practice and build up a strong edifice. Pharmaceutical managers can map out areas such as these and advise fresh MBBS+DVD practitioners (who are not MD qualified) to use the 'dermatology' route to build up their practice.

Teach him to fish!

Drug marketing has moved far away from the traditional forms of reminding the doctor of specific brands. Helping the physician to build up his practice is a sure cure for both the doctor and the pharma company.

The old Chinese adage: 'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime!' can be adapted to me pharma industry too. Build up the doctor's practice and his soaring prescriptions will feed the drug maker for many, many years to come!